Combined stirrup and spur.



" I Ma J. W; SMITHER 6: H. L ELDER.

COMBINED STIRRUP AND SPUR.

APPLIOATION FILED F319, 1907.

899,344. Patented Sept. 22, 1908.

hmsWSmf/zen H'en LEWI;

1n; NORRIS PETERS cm, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. SMITHER AND HENRY L. ELDER, OF NI OHOLASVILLE, KENTUCKY.

COMBINED 'STIRRUP AND SPUR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 22,1908.

Application filed February 9, 1907. Serial No. 356,599.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMEs W. SMITHER and HENRY L. ELDER, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Nicholasville, in the county of Jessamine and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Combined Stirrup and Spur, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to combined stirrups and spurs, and one of the principal obj ects of the same is to provide a stirrup having a pivoted spur connected thereto in such a manner that the rider may readily bring said spur into position for operation, or. to permit the same to assume an inoperative position without affecting the efficiency of the stirrup.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stirrup with a parallel foot bar between which the spursupporting lever is pivoted, and to provide a projecting end on the spur lever which can be quickly engaged by the foot of the rider to throw the spur in position for use.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined stirrup and spur made in accordance with our invention, and showing the spur in full lines in an inoperative position, and in dotted lines in position for use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and partial section of the same, showing the spur thrown up into operative position.

Referring to the drawing for a more particular description of our invention, the numeral 1 designates the stirrup, and 2is its supporting strap, which may be secured in any suitable manner to a riding saddle. The foot bar of the stirrup comprises two parallel members 3 spaced apart and preferably formed integral with the stirrup frame. The spur comprises a lever having a curved portion 4, a head 5, and a spur wheel 6 pivoted within arecess 7 in the head upon a pin 8. The lever is pivoted between the members 3 upon a pivot pin 9, said lever having an extended arm 10 disposed between the members 3 as shown more particularly in Fig. 2.

The operation of our invention may be briefly described as follows: The right and left stirrup may be identical in construction, and may be connected to the stirrup strap 2 upon opposite sides of the saddle so thatthe spur W1 1 project inward upon opposite sides of the horse. When the rider desires to use the spur he raises his foot sufficiently to ride over the top of the arm 10, and by pushing downward on the foot, the spur lever is swung to the position shown in Fig. 2, and by moving the feet inward towards the animal the spur is rendered operative. By raising the foot again, the spur lever will drop to the position shown inFig. 1 in full lines, and. is always ready for use whenever required.

I It is to be noted that the spur Wheel is substantially in alinement with the members 3 comprising the foot bar of the stirrup, and that when the spuris thrown up in position shown-in-Fig. 2, the lower edge 11 of the stirrup forms a stop for the upper surface of the spur lever.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that a combined stirrup and spur made in accordance with our invention is of comparatively simple construction, is inexpensive to manufacture, is strong, durable, reliable and efficient in use, and will add but slightly to the cost of the ordinary stirrup.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

A combined stirrup and spur comprising a stirrup havin the usual arch or suspending member an a foot bar provided with a slot extending longitudinally thereof, and a spur consisting of a lever pivoted in said slot near one end thereof, said lever having a rounded inner end, a curved portion, and a spur wheel journaled in the outer end thereof, the lower end of one of the side bars of the arch serving as a stop when the spur lever is thrown up in position for use.

In testimony whereof, we afliX our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. SMITHER. HENRY L. ELDER.

Witnesses:

CHESTER J. FITCH, C. M. SMITH. 

